"Wake them up."
"I kinda don't want to."
Taehyung pinched the bridge of his nose, eyeing the way Jimin cooed at the two wrapped around each other under a mountain of blankets.
"We have to check up on the horses. Then we have to find a way back," Taehyung whined, "If you dont wake them up, I will."
Jimin sighed, nodding sadly, "Okay."
Mara was woken up with her vision blocked, the partial darkness going away as soon as she surfaced from the crook of Jungkook's neck. With a vision blurry from sleep, the girl blinked profusely, in disbelief of her current position.
Once her vision cleared, her eyes were stuck on something, or rather someone.
Mara stared at a still sleeping Jungkook, at his steady breathing, at the way his lashes rested gently on his rosy cheeks. His glowing tan skin, illuminated by the rays of the sun that came through the window, looked soft and supple. He looked to be in complete peace as he slept, lips as pink as his ears and cheeks. His dark hair fell messily over his forehead, ruffled by great sleep and good dreams.
"Yah!" Taehyung slapped the railing of the bunk bed, bringing Mara down from wherever she was—somewhere high and risky.
"Wake the fuck up," Taehyung snapped, grumbling to himself as he exited the room, fumbling with the radio. Mara snapped out of it, giving Jungkook a glance and quickly looking away. She felt herself slowly lose herself in something that bloomed in her chest.
Oh hell no.
Mara gently slapped her cheek a couple times, huffing. When looking to the side, she was met with an amused Jimin staring right at her. He raised his eyebrows at her, a grin spreading on his lips.
"Shut up. Shut up," she pointed at him, whispering her warnings in an effort to not wake Jungkook mid crisis.
"You heard the man," Jimin teased, "Wake up." He giggled to himself as he walked away. He left Mara to her thoughts, in partial solitude as Jungkook was still sound asleep. She hoped her thoughts wouldn't wake him up. He seemed almost too good at reading minds, and it was an unconscious skill of his as well.
"Mara don't you dare," Mara whispered to herself, sighing and turning to Jungkook.
Mara was startled to find Jungkook already staring up at her, still sleepy eyed, hazy-gazed with the faintest of smirks on his face.
Oh boy.
Mara chuckled sheepishly, "Good morning," she bid.
"Morning," he groggily spoke, his morning voice deeper that usual. He propped his head up, taking a deep breath.
"Good sleep?" Mara asked, trying to make conversation between awkward eye contact. At least awkward in her perspective. Jungook chuckled, nodding and closing his eyes again.
"Very warm," He mumbled. Mara felt herself grow hot. She agreed, though; a warm night indeed it was.
"I actually had some of the best sleep I've ever had," Jungkook softly frowned, deeply sighing once more before a small smile spread on his face.
"Me too, if I'm being honest," Mara softly replied, "Me too."
The morning came with a warm and incandescent sun. Upon looking out the misty window, Mara was met with a pristine white winter wonderland. It was a beauty, a landscape almost too bright to stare at for too long. As the group of four headed out of the complex, they were met with about two feet of snow. With how much it fell the day prior, the girl expected there to be several feet of snow. Upon returning to the garage the horses had been sheltered in, the group had to dig snow out, attempting to reach the bottom of the garage door to pull it open. When finally reaching the horses, Mara felt pity for the way that they shivered. They had huddled up, sharing body heat to keep warm. Mara felt her face grow hot, and she glanced at Jungkook, quickly looking away when he turned in her direction.
"Namjoon's responses are choppy, but I doubt we'll need to communicate now. We should head straight to the lodge," Taehyung muttered, patting the horse he was taking out. Everyone promptly climbed up to the horses, Mara standing by awkwardly. Both Jimin and Jungkook had reached for her, and she looked between the two of their hands conflicted. Jimin chuckled retracting his hand and following after Taehyung.
Mara took Jungkook's hand, climbing behind him and holding him for support.
"Did something happen while I was still asleep?" Jungkook whispered, glancing over his shoulder at her.
Mara frowned, "What do you mean?" She asked.
"You're acting weird, and so is Jimin," Jungkook clarified, "I was just wondering if something happened."
Mara blushed, "No. Nothing."
Through the snow of a harsh winter, the group tread on their horses, whom neighed and whined at the cold of the snow on their legs. They weren't the smallest of horses, all tall and strong from years of countless scavenging and galloping through barren streets. For them to still be up and running like nothing was admirable to a tired Mara.
I haven't done much and aim tired today.
The shivering had tired her muscles out a bit, and she mentally thanked Jungkook for keeping her warm. If he hadn't, she would've been aching all over.
"If you see any other trails in the snow, let me know. We cant be bumping into any kind of traffic we aren't familiar with," Taehyung warned, looking back momentarily. Jungkook and Mara were straggling several feet behind, which seemed to irk the man.
"The horses aren't new to snow, they can handle it!" He called out, rolling his eyes as he continued on. The buildings were topped with snow, as was virtually everything else, and the abandoned cars on the streets looked like small hills on the treacherous road. Jungkook narrowed his eyes at Taehyung, gently petting and shushing the skittish horse.
"We gotta be careful, we dont know if there's freaks under all the snow either," Jimin reminded Taehyung, turning to the other two on the horse behind them.
"Take your time! Im sure the storm's passed over already," Jimin reassured, slowing himself down to match the pace of Jungkook's horse.
"Come on, Fro-Yo," Jungkook sighed, "Its just snow."
Mara watched him struggle, unsure of how to help. Mara patted the horse's behind, hoping to somehow encourage the horse to go faster. This did not help, and the horse continued to wrestle against the reins. Mara looked around, noticing that Taehyung and Jimin were growing farther away. Jimin had earlier been well aware they were falling behind, but they seemed to have completely forgotten.
"At this point, it's easier to just walk," Jungkook muttered, huffing as he hopped off in one quick movement. Mara gasped when he fell right through the snow, his legs now partly hidden.
"The snow is going to soak through your pants. You could get frostbite!" Mara scolded, hand shooting out to Jungkook's forearm, keeping him from walking any further.
"We'll be stuck out here! The horse won't budge!" Jungkook argued, gently prying himself from Mara's grip to take the lead. He stepped before the horse, pulling it forward and giving it encouraging words. Mara looked up, her heart dropping when noticing the vacant street stretching out as far as the eye could see. She frantically looked around, hoping to find the other two boys on the horses.
"They're gone, Jungkook!" Mara panicked, breathing picking up as she subconsciously leaned forward to hug the horse.
Jungkook peered behind him, face falling when noticing the same empty streets. The white of snow only left trails—trails soon to be covered by the lightly falling snow. Jungkook pulled harder onto the lead, the horse now engaging with only slight resistance. It seemed to have calmed down, cooperating and moving faster the more Jungkook pulled.
"Hey, we'll just follow the trails. We won't get lost, I promise!" He spoke, attempting to get Mara to respond. The girl had been looking down the intersection as they finally passed it. She rose from where she had rested, eyes never leaving that which she dreadfully looked at.
"Oh my God."
Jungkook's shoulders sagged, and with parting lips he watched in shock at the display before them.
It was thousands, if not hundreds, of freaks. All halfway buried into the snow that steadily grew taller. They clawed and snapped their jaws in the other direction, attention drawn to whatever had gathered them all in one place. Many had freed themselves from the snow, all gathering in place. Mara remembered the silhouette from yesterday. They had only momentarily passed by but it felt almost right to link the appearance of the freaks to them. How they had gathered so many in such a short time was beyond her. She knows they weren't there the first time they'd passed. There had barely been any freaks.
"What the fuck," Jungkook whispered.
The steady and heavy galloping suddenly resounded once more. Mara finally looked at Jungook, both sharing a look of dread as it seemed to grow closer—louder.
"Get back on," Mara plead, her hand stretching out for him to take, "We can't take any chances."
Jungkook didn't hesitate to take her hand, climbing once again onto the horse and prompting it into a sprint. Mara held on tightly to him as they jerked back, the horse bolting through the snow. The freaks disappeared from sight momentarily, blocked by the view of buildings and establishments. However, soon they came back into view, spilling onto the next intersection, and the next, and the next. The galloping of a second horse was still close by, forcing Jungkook to push the horse to its limit.
Mara slowly looked behind them, her eyes widening when her eyes fell upon the same silhouette of the day prior, their black cloak fluttering in the wind as they sped up behind them. They were a few blocks away, attempting to catch up to the two that had been left behind.
"They're chasing us!" Mara cried out, Jungkook's back stiffening at the distress in her voice. They continued to fly passed the streets, eyes on the lookout for the other two. They turned a corner, the patch way somewhat familiar. She couldn't be too sure, everything was covered in white.
"Hey! Right here!"
Mara's heart almost skipped a beat when two hands waved at them, ushering them into a nearby alleyway and a hidden docking station. They had momentarily peeked out, almost making her think they were a figment of her imagination. However, Jungkook made a sharp right into the alleyway, where Taehyung and Jimin stood waiting. Jungkook was not pleased, and he greeted them with a glare and some harsh words.
"If you fucking idiots would do us the favor of not leaving us behind, that would be great!" He snapped.
"Maybe if you learned to keep up-"
Jungkook raised a hand at Taehyung, interrupting him, "I have no time for your bullshit, we've got someone on our tail. We better leave before they catch up. In this snow there's no way of not leaving tracks."
Taehyung rolled his eyes but he did not hesitate to climb onto his horse. Jimin did the same, all three existing the alley way in the opposite direction of their entrance, looping around the building to wait for the cloaked figure to go by. Beside Mara was Jimin, who offered a concerned look. She shook her head,
"Never do that again," she whispered, "I thought you forgot about us."
"Never," he muttered, "Let's make it back home safe, yeah?"
"Where the fuck were you?!"
An angry Namjoon had greeted them at the entrance, fire in his eyes as he looked down on everyone. He narrowed his eyes at Taehyung, who sighed, raising his hands in defeat. Namjoon shook his head, watching everyone dismount with backpacks full. Mara was glad to have at least gotten what they needed in time before the storm hit.
"We got caught up in the storm," Taehyung explained, "Walkie wouldn't work so we couldn't radio in with updates."
Namjoon looked at everyone else, huffing before nodding, "I'm just relieved that you're not all dead."
Mara peered up at Namjoon in surprise. Someone so harsh and emotionally unavailable was expressing concern over his own people. He was glad to have them back, and it became more obvious when his shoulders relaxed, and he patted Taehyung's shoulder.
The sound of a screen door shutting made its way onto everyone's ears. Jin stood at the entrance of the lodge, his own face brightening at the sight of the four. Mara felt as if her heart was being squeezed at the sight of the relief on Jin's face. He was running towards them in no time, emotional as he quickly enveloped the first person he came in contact with. Jungkook chuckled as he was warmly welcomed home by Jin. Jin hugged him tightly, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek and cupping his face. Jin's grin was teary, and his happiness was severely contagious. He moved onto the next—Jimin—and gave him the same treatment, eliciting giggles from a lighthearted Jimin. From behind Jungkook surfaced Mara, shy smile and timid fidgeting making Jin coo.
She was not spared from his sentimental display of affection.
"My little angel," he whispered, "So glad you're back home."
Mara held Jin like her life depended on it, her face burrowed into his coat-clad shoulder. After such a odd day and a half, there was nothing better to come home to than a warm hug. Their hug lasted slightly longer, and Jin seemed to not mind. She really needed it. After giving Taehyung a hug the latter grumbled and whined his way through, he addressed the group before him with a frown.
"What happened? Why did you guys take so long?" He sternly asked.
"The snow storm hit the city badly. The fog was impossible to see through," Jimin explained, "After hitting the clothing store, it caught us mid trip back home so we holed up in an apartment complex nearby. Stayed the whole night up until this morning," he glanced at everyone, turning solemn as the events just hours prior came forth.
"We saw someone," he began, stopping only for his sentence to be picked up by Taehyung.
"Someone is gathering all of the freaks downtown. We'd seen them during the storm the day prior, leading them somewhere on horseback," Taehyung shrugged. Namjoon frowned, and Jin's eyes widened.
"How many freaks are we talking about?" Namjoon asked. Mara remembered the sight of several streets filled up to the brim with freaks. It looked like a parade, a festival; one bigger than the one she and Jimin had once tried to handle.
Taehyung hesitated, "It had to be close to fifty-"
Namjoon rolled his eyes.
"Fifty thousand," Taehyung finished.
This caused Namjoon to stiffen up, and Jin gasped, incredulous look on his face, "Fifty...thousand?"
"I was never good at the jelly bean jar contest but that sure did look like fifty thousand," Jungkook commented. Despite the somber mood, Mara couldn't help crack a smile. She snorted ever so quietly, but Jungkook must've heard her, for he discretely nudged her. She peered at him, both sharing a playful look.
"Did he seem like a threat?" Namjoon firmly asked.
Taehyung shook his head with a shrug, "I have no idea. They did chase Jungkook down the street, wearing some fucking black robe or some shit. They must've thought we were a threat, or maybe they were the threat, I don't fucking know."
"You guys aren't going back out. Ever again. You're all grounded," Jin scolded, eliciting a laugh from Jungkook and Jimin.
"We're here. We're okay," Jimin reassured.
"I said what I said," Jin huffed, crossing his arms.
"We got everything you guys needed," Taehyung began to open his backpack, everybody following suit. All of the tools that had been listed were crossed out, a successful run completed with only a slightly concerning delay. Mara took the wire cutters and screwdriver from Jungook and excused herself from the huddled group that now exchanged tools and other items. She headed inside, feeling the warmth from the furnace slowly filter through her thick layers of clothes. She took off her large coat, leaving it near the entrance to keep the snow from puddling everywhere. Her boots came off as well, and she stood by the fire for a moment, sighing happily.
The backpack on her back spilled out with contents she would soon give out as Mara headed upstairs. She stood before the last door in the hallway, scratching the back of her neck timidly. After a few seconds of contemplative hovering, she finally knocked.
A muffled, "Come in," came from inside. She hesitated, finally turning the handle and gently pushing the door open.
Though Yoongi was a tech savvy guy, she did not expect those many wires to be coming from every crevice of the introverted guy's room. So many gadgets and trinkets sat in his office desk and bedside table, cables spilling out everywhere and giving her mad scientist vibes. She ogled at sight of his room, seeing his back facing her as she stepped inside. He was messing around with something she knew nothing about, and though very curious as to what went on in his brain, she opted to not overload her own for the day.
"Hey," Mara shyly spoke, causing Yoongi to immediately turn around. She was unpleasantly surprised to see the bags under his eyes, dark and prominent. They told of long and sleepless nights, of frustration and endless trial and error. He was awfully pale that very day, and when he sat up straight his back cracked from the constant slouching.
Yoongi avoided eye contact, hands coming to rest on his thighs.
"Yes?"
Mara was speechless for a second, still taking in the exhaustion that poured from his expression. She took out the neatly folded clothes, which had been topped with the wire cutters and screwdriver, stepping closer and extending it out for him. His face lit up for a second, and he nodded, taking the items from her hands.
"Oh. Thankyou," he softly muttered.
"There are some long sleeves and thick socks too. For the cold," Mara offered a friendly smile, standing by a bit awkwardly. Yoongi seemed surprised, and he blinked a couple times in shock.
"Oh. Okay. Thanks for that too," he added.
"No problem. If you...um...need any help with anything, let me know. I might not know too much about technology but I'm a fast learner," Mara nodded, smiling before politely excusing herself from the room. She closed the door behind her, now preparing herself to deal with someone who had made it abundantly clear that she belonged nowhere inside the walls.
"These are for your feet, to keep them warm at night or whenever you're out in the snow. I got you extra long sleeves cause everyone's clothes are a bit ripped," Mara distractedly spoke, pulling out the folded clothes and sandpaper, "Oh and the sandpaper you asked for. I got you medium and coarse grit 'cause you didn't specify which one you wanted," Mara shoved the summer dress that threatened to spill out, zipping up the backpack and facing Hoseok.
"Um."
Mara watched Hoseok's expression falter slightly. He looked at the items in her hands, eyeing her oddly. He seemed to think that whatever Mara was doing came attached with some kind of catch. The only thing she was doing was handing him clothes to keep him warm and the same items he had requested himself, which she was made responsible for obtaining. It was nothing out of the ordinary, so she was unsure why he was being so weird.
"Are you going to take them or-" Mara dragged out.
Hoseok awkwardly took the items from her, "Thanks. I guess."
"No problem," Mara quipped, "No more cold feet," she lightly chuckled.
Hoseok stared at her emotionless, "Mh-hm," he blankly responded. Mara took this as her cue to leave, but Hoseok was not done talking yet, despite his clear disdain for her presence.
"What do you think you're doing?" He suddenly asked. Mara slowly turned back around, furrowed brows detailing of her confusion. She then shrugged,
"Giving you your stuff?" She chuckled.
"Do you think this shit is going to make me like you or something?" He scoffed, giving her a once over. Mara gave a tight lipped smile and shrugged once more.
"Would it hurt you to?"
He seemed to not know how to respond to her rebuttal. The words appeared to be stuck in his throat as he tried to come up with something to say.
"No. It wouldn't," Mara shook her head, "So if you could at least tolerate my existence, that would be great. You gotta stop pretending like I'm a threat," Mara spoke in exasperation, her request more like a plead, "Your hate is worthless and only an inconvenience," she ended. Mara turned and walked away, mentally thanking herself for having patience with such a thick-skulled man who refused to take one for the team and be nice.
"Why?"
Mara stopped once more, her back to Hoseok. He wore a confused frown, his eyes searching the back of her head as if waiting for her to turn around. When she didn't, he looked down at the clothes in his hand.
"All I've shown you is contempt and yet you aren't angry," he incredulously said, blinking repeatedly to straighten his thoughts out, "I don't get it. Don't you want to say something back to me. Why aren't you angry?!" He snapped. Mara finally turned around, seeing his reddening face and pursed lips. He looked angry and upset and every bit of confused. She'd never seen Hoseok act this way. She thought she'd be the one to break but it seemed like he was going to be the first.
"You're just not worth it," Mara softly spoke, brutally honest.
Hoseok's face fell, but the moment of silence from his part did not last long, and he looked down, nodding.
"Not worth it," he repeated, humorless laugh leaving his lips.
"Eat up. I know you guys are hungry," Jin sing-songed, everyone finally settling together for dinner. The day had progressed like any other, this time with a sense of gratitude for the 'what if's' that never happened and the close calls. Mara was relieved to finally be home, where everyone was sitting together in a warm house with hot food on their table. She could've been anywhere but there if she had never met Jimin.
Conversation was lighthearted as Jungkook told the story of the cloaked figure, the same one who had gathered the freaks and chased them down the street. It sounded slightly humorous now that Mara thought about it. They were running from a stranger like two scared children.
"And the horse doesn't fucking budge," Jungkook another spoonful of soup before continuing, "So I get down and pull the horse myself—mind you—in two feet of snow. And then when I turn around, these two bitches are gone," he pointed to Taehyung and Jimin, the aforementioned rolling his eyes while Jimin giggled, "Mara's freaking out and then we hear wannabe death on our ass and the freaks crowding the streets. It's chaos. So I get back on the horse and just book it."
Mara watched Jungkook animatedly speak, his wild gestures making even Namjoon crack a smile. Mara looked around the table, discretely noticing their reactions. Even though they were minuscule, the glints in their eyes were unmistakable. No matter how much they wanted to distance themselves, everyone still had that intrinsic admiration for one another; the desire to be close not only physically but emotionally. Mara was saddened by their denial and forced detachment. If only they knew that she was never the threat after all, but that it was the forsaking of their friendships—their brotherhood.
Who else would they trust when the world around them grew vile? Who else would lead them into light in the darkness? For now, the blind lead the blind. Until they removed their veils—and only then—would they become stronger than anything life could throw at them.
It was a beautiful evening, growing colder every time the sun inched down to melt into the horizon. After powering two space heaters with the solar generator, the two on night-watch duty prepared to go to their posts. Jimin and Taehyung, the most complicated dynamic, all prepared in Taehyung's room, bundling up in layers and layers of warm clothing. They awaited the hour they would look into the dark forest until the sun gracefully rose to color the sky cerulean blue. Behind the bright rays of sun would be the ever present stars, never leaving their spot to watch over the tiny people on earth.
Such minute, insignificant creatures in an ephemeral era inside a tiny floating rock, darting through what is essentially an eternally expanding void. Considering their size in comparison to the universe, Mara wondered why in hell she worried so much about everyone's approval. Love was innate, something born into someone and not forced. She couldn't force their love, no matter how much she wanted them to love her. She could only let things happen at their own pace; if they were to happen at all. She was okay with only having Jimin, Jin and Jungkook. They were more than enough.
Though she did feel a bond with Yoongi growing.
"I'm gonna have to go in a bit. Ugh, I hate night watch," Jimin sighed, laying in Mara's bed and watching her organize her bags. His eyes glued onto the red dress, a smile taking up his face.
"You're early to summer. Do you want it to be hot already?" Jimin teased. Mara retrieved the dress, holding it up for Jimin to see. He 'ooo'd, staring at its pretty color and soft material with wonder.
"Did you try it on already?" Jimin asked, peering around to dress to see an awestruck Mara gazing admirably at the dress. She ran her eyes up and down the fabric, already picturing herself in it.
Mara shook her head, "I want to, but don't you think it might be a bit too cold right now?"
Jimin waved her off, "Its not. Come on, you gotta try it on. I wanna see it on you before I go," he rushed, pointing to the bathroom. Mara nervously obeyed, excitement bubbling in her stomach as she slipped the dress on. It was definitely too cold to be wearing a dress, but the goosebumps rising on every surface of her body did not stop her. Slightly shivering, Mara stepped out of the bathroom.
The dress was snug, the short sleeves hugging her arms and leaving her shoulders exposed. The bottom half of the dress was loose, flowing freely to her mid thighs. She stood in front of the mirror, dusting the dress of a bit and looking at herself.
"It is absolutely too cold to be wearing this," Mara laughed.
"Woah! Hey!" Jimin gasped, smile widening and eyes admiring the dress. His gaze was not leering, and Mara could walk around without feeling the slightest bit of discomfort.
"You looks so beautiful!" He gushed.
I love Jimin.
"I wanted to feel pretty for once ," Mara sheepishly smiled. She modeled for Jimin, making up random and silly poses for him to giggle and laugh at. His laughter was contagious, and she loved hearing it all the time.
"We gotta show Jungkook-" Jimin took her hands in his, lighthearted grin dissipating any doubt. Jimin excitedly pulled her towards the door, Mara's stomach dropping at the name. A wave of self-consciousness hit her.
She feverishly shook her head, "No no!"
"Come on, he's gotta see you in this-"
"I can't-"
"You look amazing! Why not?" He halted for a second, but then continued to pull on her hands.
"He makes me nervous-"
"You guys are so loud-"
Despite wanting to hide from Jungkook's sight, in came the dark haired lad, his sentence cut short when his eyes met Mara. The girl could not have turned a brighter shade of red, and with her face growing hot she felt it about to melt off. Jungkook stood quietly, overcome with admiration followed by a tint on his cheeks. Mara attempted to cover her face with her free hand, timid under Jungkook's stare and wishing to run away, screaming but in delight. She wanted to show him, but at the same time, she was too shy.
"Doesn't she look good?!" Jimin softly exclaimed.
I don't understand why. He's my friend just like Jimin.
Jungkook smiled with his eyes before it reached his lips, and he nodded ever so slightly, "It looks great on you," he softly spoke.
"Let's give this beauty a little turn-" Jimin cheerfully spoke, playfully raising Mara's hand to twirl her delicately. Before she could turn away, Mara looked into the mirror behind her, eyes witnessing the moment the smiles fell from their faces. Their eyes were trained on something else other than the dress she wore, something she hadn't been paying too much attention to—she wished she could forget.
The two boys stared at her upper back, in the exact spot where the scarring symbol had been placed.
Mara snatched her hand from Jimin's grasp, turning around with an embarrassed chuckle. She avoided eye contact, still red but in humiliation. Her hand absentmindedly reached up to the scar, the feeling of the embossed skin making her stomach churn.
"Hey, it's nothing you should be ashamed of-" Jimin tried to comfort, but she shook her head.
"It's okay! It's nothing," Mara interrupted, taking her pijamas from the bed, "I'll just go change real quick."
The boys nodded, but it went unnoticed as the girl rushed into the bathroom. Mara stood against the door for a minute, getting her scattered emotions together. She was absolutely ashamed to be parading a symbol of death and cruelty, and she wished more than anything to have the strength that Yoongi had to carry on. It was hard to pretend like it didn't affect her, but it was even harder to accept that it did.
"Keep her company for me," Jimin whispered to Jungkook, "I should go. I've got night watch today."
"Tell her goodnight," Jungkook solemnly mumbled back, taking a seat in Mara's bed to wait for her return.
Jimin nodded, both men turning when the door creaked open. Mara slowly re-entered the room, overwhelmed by the silence and the somber atmosphere. She had instantly felt guilty for the way she responded. It wasn't their faults either.
"I'm sorry. I just forgot for a second that I had it. I shouldn't have been so rude," Mara dryly laughed.
"Don't apologize for that. There's something else you should apologize for," Jungkook turned away, opening the comic book he had brought with him. He browsed through as a confused Mara stared at the side of his face.
"Um...for what?"
Jimin was also confused, and he eyed Jungkook strangely.
"For looking too good in that dress," he nonchalantly said, a small smile playing at his lips as he continued to flip through the comic.
Mara flushed once more, not able to help the smile that crept up on her face. Jimin took this as his cue to give Mara a warm hug, a chaste kiss on the cheek and bidding a goodnight. Mara was left in the room with Jungkook, and she awkwardly hovered at the other side of the bed. She fidgeted in place, looking around the room she could also look through. The only thing catching her attention was the comic book in Jungkook's hands.
"I don't bite....unless you want me to," he joked, giggling to himself. Mara laughed, sitting next to him on the edge of the bed and peering down at the comic book. As soon as she did so, Jungkook linked his arm with hers, pulling her in closer. Mara's heart was beating fast, and she was unsure of where this sudden burst of nervousness was coming from.
"Did we interrupt your bedtime story," Mara quietly teased. She was nudged by Jungkook, and he shook his head.
"Nah. Was going to stop by anyways but I heard you guys and I got jealous that you two were hanging out without me," he dramatically sighed, giving her a doe-eyed look. Mara paused, raising a brow at him with a small smile as she eyed him.
"Jealous?"
He frowned, "Yes," he huffed.
"Aww," Mara pinched his cheek, "I'm sorry. We'll invite you next time."
Jungkook pouted, "No. Invite me first and then I'll think about inviting Jimin."
Mara laughed, "He's your friend too, you meanie."
"Yeah but I don't like him as much as I like you."
"What?!"
"What?"
"He's your best friend," Mara tried to ignore his statement, "We gotta invite him."
"His best friend is Taehyung."
"So I'm your new best friend?"
"...I guess you can say that. I'd like to have my own friend. I'm always the third wheel when I'm around them," Jungkook rolled his eyes, "With you it feels like I can actually be close to you without getting in the way of anyone else."
Mara's smile fell, and then she truly understood why she and Jungkook got along so well. They were two third wheels that came together to be as good of friends as the people they third wheeled to.
Makes so much sense.
"Hey, me too," Mara softly agreed, smile widening when Jungkook turned to her. His saddened gaze suddenly lifted, and she noticed the glint in his eyes.
"I'll invite you first, next time," Mara whispered.
Jungkook grinned, "Deal."
——-
The songs I listen to while writing very heavily influence what will happen in the book.
I'm seeing a bit more reads for every chapter, and it makes me happy to know a lot of you are still keeping up with this book.
Thank you for still being here.
-wethenaive